Wheat germ has an array of benefits, because it is the growth center within the kernel. The germ provides food for the rest of the grain in the form of fat and protein and is the starting source for sprouting plants. Wheat germ also stores several essential vitamins and minerals that power the rest of the kernel. Research has confirmed that adding wheat germ to your diet can allow you to reap several of the benefits this grain has to offer.
Parts of the Wheat Kernel
Whole-grain wheat kernels provide all three parts of the grain: the germ, the endosperm and the bran. Each part has its own benefits and nutrients. Consuming the grain in its whole state allows you to get full benefit of the kernel. The germ is the smallest part, making up about 2.5 percent of the total weight of the kernel. Wheat germ contains most of the fat of the kernel, as well as some protein, B and E vitamins and trace minerals.
Most of the kernel is composed of the endosperm, which is equivalent to about 85 percent of the weight of the kernel. The endosperm provides the highest concentration of carbohydrates and protein, in addition to several B vitamins and soluble fiber. The outer bran accounts for 14.5 percent of the total weight and contains insoluble fiber, vitamin E and minerals. When grains are refined, the germ and bran are removed, leaving the starchy endosperm behind, which takes away many of the nutrients grains have to offer.
Anti-oxidant Benefits
A diet rich in wheat germ provides vitamin E, which is an anti-oxidant that fights off damaging free radicals. Research at the INRA Research Centre of Clermont-Theix in France found that a diet of 20-percent wheat germ reduced liver and heart damage in rats. The researchers attributed the reduction to the anti-oxidants. Their study was published in 2008 in the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition."
Effects on Cholesterol
Wheat germ is rich in phytosterols, which are plant sterols often added to foods for their cholesterol-lowering effects. A study conducted at Washington University and published in 2003 in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" looked into the effects of wheat germ on cholesterol levels. One group of participants was given wheat germ muffins with 80 g of wheat germ and 328 mg of phytosterols. The other group ate muffins with wheat germ but no phytosterols. The researchers found that consuming wheat germ with naturally occurring phytosterols could lower total cholesterol.
Beneficial for Arthritis
Adding Avemar, a fermented wheat-germ product, to your diet may alleviate symptoms associated with rheumatoid arthritis. According to research at the National Institute of Rheumatology and Physiotherapy in Hungary, which was published in 2006 in the "Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology," ingesting Avemar can alleviate pain and stiffness experienced with rheumatoid arthritis. About half of the study participants were able to reduce their dose of steroids when they added this fermented wheat-germ product to their daily diets.
References
- Wheat Foods Council: What is Wheat?
- "Journal of the American College of Nutrition"; Wheat Germ Supplementation of a Low Vitamin E Diet in Rats Affords Effective Antioxidant Protection in Tissues; F. Leenhardt, et al.; April 2008
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Inhibition of Cholesterol Absorption by Phytosterol-Replete Wheat Germ Compared with Phytosterol-Depleted Wheat Germ; R.E. Ostlund, Jr., et al.; June 2003
- "Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology"; Effect of Avemar--A Fermented Wheat Germ Extract--On Rheumatoid Arthritis. Preliminary Data.; G. Bálint, et al.; May-June 2006
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